Coiling means for concavo-convex rules



March 27, 1934. FARRAND 1,952,979

COILING MEANS FOR CONCAVO-CONVEX RULES Filed Dec. 31, 1929 Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,952,979 COILING MEANS FOR CONCAVO-CONVEX RULES Hiram A. Farrand, Berlin, N. H., assignor to Hiram A. Farrand, Inc., Berlin,

N. H., a corporation of New Hampshire Application December 31, 1929, Serial No. 417,725

7 Claims.

This application is a companion to my copending application Serial No. 417,724, filed on even date herewith.

The invention disclosed in the present application relates to coiling means for concave-convex rules, the principal object of the invention being to provide a foundation element upon which the rule strip is wound into the form of an externally'wound coil, and providing guiding and braking means which are movable radially with respect to the coil, all of which will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 is a face view;

Fig. 2 is a back view;

Fig. 3 is an edge view;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 4.

As shown in the drawing, the device comprises a cylindrical drum or reel 1 having a circular wall 2 upon the outside of which the rule strip a: is adapted to be formed into an externally 2 wound coil :0

One end of the rule strip :0 passes through an opening 3 formed in the circular wall 2 and is secured thereto, on the inner face thereof, by any suitablemeans, such as the rivet 4, shown in Fig. 4.

The cylindrical drum 2 is closed at one end by a plate or head 5 which is centrally apertured to receive and rotate upon a pivot element 6.

Secured to one end of the pivot element 6 is a circular plate or washer 'lhaving a diameter greater than that of the pivot element 6, forming a flange or an abutment on the pivot element 6 for limiting the axial movement of the head 5 of the drum 1 in one direction relative to the 40 pivot element 6, it being understood that the pivot element 6 is slightly longer than the bearing surface formed in the head 5 which bears on and rotates about the pivot element 6.

Relative axial movement of the drum 1 in the opposite direction, on the pivot element 6, is

limited by a larger plate 10, which has a diameter greater than that of the circular wall 2 of the drum 1. The plate 10 is secured to the opposite end of the pivot element 6 by a rivet or other securing element 11 which passes axially through the plates 7 and 10 and the pivot element 6.

V The portion of the plate 10 Which extends radially beyond the circular wall 2 of the drum 1 forms one Wall of a groove or cavity 15 in which the coil x is formed, the opposite and parallel wall of the coil-receiving groove 15 being formed by a flange 16 projecting radially outward from the circular wall 2 of the drum 1.

Concavo-convex rule strips are transversely bent from a flat cross-sectional form into a concavo-convex cross-sectional form, to produce, in the rule strip, an inherent tendency to assume a rectilinear state at all times. When flexed longitudinally the curved portion of the strip, formed by the longitudinal flexing of the strip, will assume a fiat cross-sectional form.

When one end of a concavo-convex rule strip is secured to a foundation structure, such as the circular wall 2 and the rule is wrapped in flat superposedlayers on the foundation structure, the rule, in its attempt to reassume a rectilinear state, will unwrap in a reverse order, the free end of the rule at all times assuming a tangential relation to the underlying convolution of the coil.

To prevent such tangential unwrapping of the rule strip when the coil is formed on an open spool-like drum, such as shown in the drawing, some means must be provided to be engaged by the free end of the rule.

For this purpose I provide a pair of diametrically disposed stop arms 20, 20, either of which is adapted to be engaged by the free end of the rule strip to prevent the above mentioned tangential unwrapping of the rule strip a: from the coil x When the tangential unwrapping of the rule strip has been arrested, the inherent tendency of the rule strip to assume a rectilinear state will then cause a rotation of the spool or drum upon which the coil is formed, the stop 20 then functioning as a guide by which the rule strip is directed in a straight line outwardly from its point of tangency with the coil.

To prevent the uncoiling of the strip by the rotation of the drum a braking means must be 7 provided to arrest the rotation of the drum and the coil carried thereby.

In the present instance I provide a pair of brake shoes 25, 25 which are movable in opposite directions outwardly from and radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the spool orv drum on which the rule strip a: is formed into the coil r These brake shoes 25, 25 are adapted to engage the inner circular face of a flange 17 which extends outwardly from the flange 16 and parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum 1, being concentric with the circular coil-receiving wall 2 thereof.

The brake shoes 25, 25 are carried by inwardly projecting extensions 21, 21 formed respectively on the outer ends of the guide stops 20. The inner ends of the arms 20 are secured to or formed integral with oppositely disposed ends of a bow spring 30.

The bow spring 30 is secured at its center to the plate 10 by a rivet 11 and its opposite ends flare outwardly from the said plate 10.

The guide-spots 20 also function as finger grips whereby the device may be held in the hand and operated.

It will be observed that if pressure is applied to the finger grips 20, 20, for example, at the points and in the directions indicated by the arrows y, y, Fig. 5, the, arms 20, 20 will flex at the points z, 2. The outer ends of the arms, with the depending portions 21, 21 and the brake shoes 25, 25 carried thereby, will be moved radially inward, releasing the brake shoes 25, 25 from the flange 1'7 and thereby permitting the drum 1 to rotate.

To further insure against rotation of the drum 1 a second braking effect is produced by the end plate 5 of the drum 1 frictionally engaging the plate 10, the latter being held against rotation relative to the bow spring 30 and the finger grips 20, 20 by lugs 31, 31 which are carried by or formed on the plate 10 and engage the bow spring 30 along the opposite longitudinal edges of the bow springs, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The outward flare of the opposite ends of the bow spring 30, above noted, tends to cause the depending portions 21, 21 of the arms 20, 20 to exert a pressure against the outer edge of the flange 17 which tends to move the whole of the drum 1 axially inward until the end plate or head 5 of the drums frictionally engages the stationary plate 10.

When the pressure is exerted at the points y, :1; on the arms 20, 20 as above noted, the brake shoes 25, 25 are released from the flange 1'? by the radial movement of the shoes, as above noted, due to the arms 20, 20 being flexed at the points z, z where said arms join with the bow spring 30. This pressure, exerted at the points y, y will also cause the flared ends of the bow spring 30 to move toward the plate 10, efi'ecting a lateral movement of the depending portions 21, 21 of the arms 20, 20 away from the front edge of the flange 17, thus permitting the drum 1 to move axially and relative to the plate'10, and thereby releasing the head'5 of the drum 1 from its frictional engagement with the stationary plate 10.

The drum 1 will then freely rotate about the pivot element 6 under the inherent tendency of the rule strip a: to assume arectilinear state.

The rule strip a: is adapted to be wound into the coil m by means of a crank 35 secured to the drum 1, the arm 20, which is engaged by the extended portion of the rule strip, functioning as a guiding means for the rule strip as it is being wound into the externally wound coil x I claim:

1. A device, for controlling a concave-convex rule, comprising a rotatable reel upon which the rule strip is adapted to be formed into an externally wound coil, braking means including a member having a portion extending transversely of the coiled rule and movable radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the reel and adapted to be engaged by the free portion of the rule, said member having another portion adapted to engage said reel to prevent rotation of the reel to prevent outward swinging movement of the free portion of the rule.

2. A device, for controlling a concavo-convex rule, comprising a rotatable reel upon which the rule strip is adapted to be formed into an externally wound coil, braking means including a member movable radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the reel and adapted to engage said reel to prevent rotation thereof, and a member extending transversely across the coiled rule for releasing the braking member from the reel to permit the coil to unwind and adapted to be engaged by the rule to prevent a swinging movement of the outer end of the rule relative to the coil.

3. A device, for controlling a concavo-convex rule, comprising a rotatable reel upon which the rule strip is adapted to be formed into an externally wound coil, braking means including a member having a portion movable radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the reel and adapted to engage said reel to prevent rotation thereof and a portion extending transversely cross the coiled rule for releasing the first said portion from the reel to permit the coil to unwind and adapted to be engaged by the rule for guiding the rule strip as it is being wound and unwound to and from the coil.

4. A device, for controlling a concavo-convex rule, comprising a rotatably mounted reel upon which the rule strip is adapted to be formed into an externally wound coil, a stationary brake element disposed adjacent one end of the reel, a braking surface formed on the said adjacent end of said reel, a second braking surface formed on the opposite end of said reel, a brake element adapted to engage said second braking surface,

and means for moving the last said brake element radially into contact with the said second braking surface of the reel and simultaneously moving the reel axially to effect braking contact between the first said stationary brake element and the first said braking surface on the reel.

5. A device, for controlling a concavo-convex rule, comprising a rotatably mounted reel upon which the rule strip is adapted to be formed into an externally wound coil, means for rotating the reel to wind the rule strip thereon, a stationary brake element disposed adjacent one end of the reel, a braking surface formed on the said adjacent end of said reel, a second braking surface formed on the opposite end of said reel, a brake element. adapted to engage sald second braking surface, and means for moving the last said brake element radially into contact with the said second braking surface of the reel and simultaneously moving the reel contact between the first said stationary brake element and the first said braking surface on the reel, the last said means also functioning as a guide for the rule .strip as it is being wound and unwound from the reel.

6. A device, for controlling a concave-convex rule, comprising a rotatably mounted reel having a circular wall upon which the rule strip is adapted to be formed into an externally Wound coil, a head on one end of the reel, a stationary axially to effect braking too plate located adjacent and substantially parallel to the said reel head and extending radially beyond the said circular wall of the reel, a flange on the opposite end of the reel extending radially beyond the said circular wall thereof and forming with the said plate and the circular wall of the reel an annular cavity for receiving the coiled rule, an axially extending flange on the reel, a pair of diametrically disposed brake shoes movable radially with respect to the axis of the reel and adapted to engage the said axially extending flange thereon, a pair of arms extending across said rule cavity and respectively supporting the said brake shoes at the outer ends of the arms, and a bow spring secured to the stationary plate and connected at its opposite ends to the said arms respectively; said bow spring and said arms constituting means for radially moving the brake shoes into contact with the axial flange of the reel and for moving the reel axially whereby braking contact is effected between the reel head and the stationary plate and for guiding the rule into and out of the said rule receiving cavity.

7. A device, vfor controlling a concave-convex rule, comprising a rotatably mounted reel having a circular wall upon which the rule strip is adapted to be formed into an externally wound coil, a head on one end of the reel, a stationary plate located adjacent and substantially parallel to the said reel head and extending radially beyond the said circular wall of the reel, a flange on the opposite end of the reel extending radially beyond the said circular wall thereof and forming with the said plate and the circular wall of V the reel an annular cavity for receiving the coiled rule, an axially extending flange on the reel, a pair of diametrically disposed brake shoes movable radially with respect to the axis of the reel and adapted to engage the said axially extending flange thereon, a'pair of arms extending across said rule cavity and respectively supporting the said brake shoes at the outer ends of the arms, a bow spring secured to the stationary plate and connected at its opposite ends to the said arms respectively; said bow spring and said arms constituting means for radially moving the brake shoes into contact with the axial flange of the reel and for moving the reel axially whereby braking contact is effected between the reel head and the stationary plate and for guiding the rule into and out of the said rule receiving cavity, and a crank secured to the reel for rotating the same relative to the stationary plate, bow spring, arms and brake shoes.

HIRAM A. FARRAND. 

